Soldier, 2 Rebels Killed In Clashes Along By-pass Highway In Ilocos Sur

August 9, 2020 JUST IN

BAGUIO CITY (August 9, 2020) – A soldier and two communist guerillas were killed when government troopers and communist rebels fought till dark Saturday along the by-pass road along the borders of Candon City and Sta. Lucia town, both in Ilocos Sur.
Philippine Army Major Rogelio Dumbrique speaking in behalf of the 81^stInfantry Battalion also said that four other soldiers were wounded in the gun battle that started 2PM Saturday and lasted until midnight.
Names of the slain solider and those wounded were still unavailable including the two NPA guerillas, but Dumbrique claimed among the dead rebels is a woman medical officer while the other one is said to be a bomb expert of the group.  Two villagers were also reportedly injured by stray bullets.
Soldiers reportedly clashed with the rebels led by certain “Ka Nero” of the Komiteng Larangang Gerilya-South Ilocos (KLG-SIS) after villagers tipped about the NPA rebels roving around the villages near the by-pass road.
The military claimed government interventions including a recent proclamation by Ilocos Sur provincial government declaring rebels as “persona-non-grata” has weakened the underground rebel movement in the area, but Saturday’s almost half-day clash along by-pass road between Candon City and Sta. Lucia dispelled the claimed victory over the NPA in the area.  
The by-pass road is just around 2 kilometers away from Candon City proper.
The Ilocos Sur-based Alfredo Cesar Command has not released any statement on Saturday’s clashes.
Northern Luzon Command chief Lt. Gen. Ramiro Rey however maintained “these Communist Terrorist Groups (CTGs) are now in despair as more and more people withdraw their support to their cause.  They are now pushed to a corner as our gains to winning peace continue to grow.”

Artemio A. Dumlao